Police body-cams trial hit by delays

Nino Bucci

A CONTROVERSIAL trial of cameras on police uniforms has not started, despite Chief Commissioner Ken Lay expecting it to be finished by last November.

Police aimed to improve transparency by using the so-called uniform cams to record interactions with the public, but the Police Association said they had the potential to undermine trust in the force.

Audio and visual equipment would have been worn on the clothing of officers in the southern region, which includes Dandenong, Cranbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and bayside suburbs.

But the trial, which the union said was an Australian first, has been delayed by a range of concerns and it is now unclear when it will start.

The cameras are used commonly by US police and the trial is consistent with a trend towards more surveillance of police work. Some highway patrol cars are already fitted with video devices, and cameras will be fitted to Tasers, which will become standard issue.

Mr Lay said last July that he had approved the concept for the trial, which would last no more than three months, and he expected it to start in August.

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Assistant Commissioner Derek Lamb said this week no date for the trial had been set.

''Victoria Police is still working through a number of factors in relation to a trial of body-worn recording devices, including cost, equipment, legalities, data security and storage,'' he said.

Police said last June it was envisaged the recording devices would not be operating at all times and they would be switched on at the discretion of the officer.

Police Association assistant secretary Bruce McKenzie said the union's concerns had grown since the trial was announced, as it was clear the funds used on uniform cams could be better spent.

He said the force was too stretched to spend money on new equipment when items such as in-car cameras had not been installed in all vehicles.

Fairfax Media revealed last year that footage from a police car was used to prosecute two officers in northern Victoria for bashing and kicking two men they had pulled over.

Mr McKenzie said delays in starting the trial highlighted legal complexities the union feared could lead to footage captured on the cameras being used against police in court.

''Our concerns have certainly not been alleviated by the fact they're taking more time before starting the trial. We don't want the trial to take place at all.''